Marianne Chua

I’m just Marianne, an alternative documentary photographer based in London but shooting all over le world.

I was an ambassador/writer for Lomography, I shot events for them like music festivals! I now shoot for Secret Cinema, covering productions including Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, Back To The Future, Amy, Star Wars, Dirty Dancing and 28 Days Later.

As well as gandering about as a press/wedding/event/music photographer, I have a PhD in Psychology.

My favourite junction is junction 16 between the M25 and M40 (because it’s like NASCAR) and my favourite stretch of motorway is junction 2-6 on the M1.

I like to spend my free time wiki-ing horror film synopses because I enjoy the plot twists you only get in that genre, but I’m too chicken shit to actually watch the films.

Donna Tartt wrote both my number one and number two favourite books of all time!

My other hobbies include pretending I’m a real athlete (team tri-hard), playing 8 hours of board games at a time and basically attending as many live experience escape games/theatre as I can afford.

My dream retirement plan is to become a fishmonger.

My Brompton bike is called Brompt.

I have a fascinator in the shape of my logo that I wear to every shoot. That was your official warning. This doesn’t happen anymore, my friend sat on it in my car! If anyone works in millinery and wants to work with me on a new design feel free to get in touch!

Judges

"Yuck, anything but pickles," this young man appears to implore. I remember feeling that way about certain foods. That is why this image works as well as it does because it strikes a visceral universal chord between all people who have witnessed someone eating something that we find altogether despicable. This image says it as well as any I've seen.